#13 Casablanca

I just watched Casablanca for the first time. Kind of a strange thing for a self proclaimed movie buff to say. I realize my introduction to Bogey is overdue; it’s just that I was raised in a different time. My movie classics came from John Landis or were related to the world not being real. I have to say though; the best are the best for a reason. This movie is spectacular. It is truly moving. I won’t try to compete with the near infinite reviews and interpretations that already exist for this movie in the world. But I will relate how it touched me. I’m at a point in my life where I needed to see a man like Ricky. I think most 21^st century American men do as well. This guy is the coolest guy since Sean Connery. I think I’ve found a new personal hero. Rude, indifferent, emotionally unreachable, smokes like a chimney, drinks like a sailor, and is a true sentimentalist underneath it all. We are pansies. I have a lot of respect for a man who gets his heart broken, drowns his sorrows, and picks himself up all collected and calm again the very next day. No wallowing or weak pining and lamenting. Just a bottle of bourbon and a single night to shed it all away. I just haven’t met anyone in this day and age who is like that. Tough like that. And then to give up his chance at the end in order to do what is truly right, we definitely don’t think like that anymore. And he does it remorselessly. That’s conviction that I admire. Even kills a guy. Although that jerk had it coming.
One thing that was really cool was to see all the great lines that I had heard my entire life delivered in context. This movie has 5 or 6 of the greatest lines in movie history. The way with words that the characters have is very proper and old timey, but in an amazing way, rather than boring. Just more to the point than I’m accustomed to. I really felt connected to the characters because the dialogue they used was so descriptive. They really knew how to express themselves with words. I ramble, but this is truly a great movie that had me yelling at the TV and feeling right along with them. I think I will now go find more Bogart movies.